New album of 10 pictures of WR977 being moved in 1977 has been put online here!

very interesting photo’s thanks for posting them.

I did hear at the end of last year that there was a long term plan to move the Manchester museum Shack out to a current RAF base. About 5 years was the timescale mentioned. Whether there was any truth or if it was just a rumour I couldn’t say.

What current RAF base is going to be left in 5 years time ?.certainly not one that would make it financialy viable to go to all the trouble to get the aircraft out of Manchester and road it to the south of England.

If she does eventually come out to make space I think she will go up for disposal and by heck then there will be a queue !!!!.Major Museums struggle to find space for big aeroplanes unless they have big airfields attached and even then some struggle.Museums like Manchester will at some point have to be able to rotate their displays and with a bloody big Growler taking up 65% of the space they are going to struggle and it makes them sadly inflexible.Something in future collections will be unable to be if they wish to continue to attract visitors and other exhibits.And also to have some space to diversify and offer other facilities to bring in the pennies.

Eventually one national aviation heritage museum is going to have to be looked at with all other major collections rotating stuff around the central location and the smaller museums perhaps sharing and swapping minor exhibits around.In these modern times even places like Hendon,IWM,Duxford and Cosford must to a lesser or greater degree struggle,Duxford is luckier than most with all its flying operations and restoration facilities so shows a changing face on an almost weekly basis in some areas.How Manchester stays competitive with the Growler in place could be a reason for the doubts about its long term future.

And finally NO WE AINT THINKING OF MOVING THE MANCHESTER AIRCRAFT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IFthe story is true, it would be rather funny to see the reaction on here once they do find one and dig it up.

Probably the film crew will plant one just to get a happy ending to their story :diablo:

I am sure that we and a few others could lend one to be hidden and give them all a shock.Would have to be April first of course and also they would have to cross our palms with silver !!!!!!

Silver ?,Gold ?,Zero’s I am cracking up !!!!!!!

Recent sales suggest that prices are climbing……

But not to £6 million!

to many zero’s on the end I just bought one for £6 and it came in a nice box with parcelforce.

I have the weights and C of G for the Shack Mk3 in pdf form if you still need it.
The MK3 is a bit heavier than the MK2. Most of the big lumps come apart quite easily. The wings (sorry! correctly called the mainplanes, as I was told in the RAF.) are in five main parts. The centre section would not normally be removed. If you need info/help please contact me/us via the Gatwick Aviation Museum web site.

Many thanks will be in touch

Mike

Thanks Twinn Otter as I say the aircraft is an unknown quantity at present so do not know as yet what ,where and the condition accessability.

Th emore info the merrier to help things if anything comes of it.But it is promising looking but depends on certain things being agreed so I understand that I am not privvy to.

Thanks Rich its just an after thought as I said not sure on the mark number id there much difference in the break down dimension sand weights for a mk1 or a mk3 from an MR2 ?.

I dont think there are any complete mk1’s about but I am only speculating at this moment.Look silly if I only have the info for one version and it turns out to be one of tothers.!!!!.

I know its a grand job dismantling one and reassembling is something like 750 man hours if you have the right tools and it comes apart and that does not include anything in between.from memory about a 1500 7/16 nuts and bolts and thats the easy bit !!!!!!!.

Sounds interesting, can you spill or is it strictly need to know?:)
I dare say MJR or Peter Mills would be worth a PM as Gatwick roaded two MR.3s in.

I have been asked to get the information for someone who may be planning to move one.From where etc I do not know ,if it moves on beyond the enquiry then if I can I will let you know where and what.

I dont think its the Cyprus ones(and it certainly aint from Coventry) if that is any help but the enquiry is from within Europe.

And Peter Vallances aircraft are mk3 and I am not sure if this/these particular aircraft are Mk2 or mk3 but if you have contact details for the two gentlemen it may be of assistance.

Unless the Shackleton guys on forum from the Coventry aircraft are able to access the relevent AP’s for me.

Many thanks